The family and friends of the late senior advocate Evans Monari raised a lumpsum Ksh21.5 million in a record two hours during a fundraiser held on Tuesday, October 12.
Led by Interior CS Fred Matiang'i and his health counterpart Mutahi Kagwe, the leaders vowed to safeguard the welfare of Monari's family. The lawyer had left behind a Ksh16 million medical bill.
Kagwe officiated the fundraising process, and the floor was opened by Health PS Susan Mochache as is the Kisii customs where a lady is supposed to be the first to contribute. She donated Ksh10,000.
Monari's family contributed Ksh1.3 million, Amani National Congress (ANC) party leader Musalia Mudavadi gave out Ksh100,000 while the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) body donated Ksh30,000.
A committee formed by Monari's close friends contributed Ksh9.3 million. Senior counsel Ahmednasir Abdullahi and lawyer Donald Kipkorir donated Ksh1 million each, their counterpart Fred Ngatia gave out Ksh200,000 while Kisii Governor James Ongwae parted with Ksh100,000.
Both Matiang'i and Kagwe contributed Ksh200,000 each while Monari's employer, Coulson Harney Advocates (Bowmans), gave out Ksh3 million.
As the event came to a close, an average figure of Ksh21.55 million had been raised.
During his address, CS Matiang'i spoke of the close ties he had with the late George Hudson Monari Ogeto (Evans Monari's father) and the family in general.
"We would tease each other with the late George Ogeto to whom I was genuinely a grandson [sic]. George Ogeto decided how much dowry I needed to pay for my wife - Linet who is my one and only dear wife Linet on this earth," he stated amidst the cheer from the crowd.
The CS also noted that President Uhuru Kenyatta was updated on Monari's progress on a daily basis. Monari was Uhuru's advocate during the 2017 presidential petition at the Supreme Court.
"Evans was not just his (Uhuru's) lawyer but was also his personal friend. He had a way with him. The fact that he is the President did not change their friendship," he stated.
The lawyer passed on earlier in October after undergoing treatment for the past few months.
His family indicated that the advocate was diagnosed with heart enlargement in 2017 but continued to live a healthy life under medication. His situation, however, deteriorated in July when his organs started to fail - putting him in the ICU for over a month.
